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Driven: 2022 BMW M3 Competition – Purposeful Performance

There is little that is subtle about the 2022 BMW M3 Competition, from its gaping twin kidney grille to its Sao Paulo yellow exterior. This aggressive look is more than backed by the car’s 503-horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline six.
2022 BMW M3 Competition 21 photos
Photo: Matt DeLorenzo
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Carrying the xDrive designation, the all-wheel-drive system on the M3 Competition is decidedly biased towards the rear axle to provide lively handling and blistering acceleration. The engine pairs with an 8-speed Steptronic dual-clutch automatic transmission with multiple drive modes and steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual sequential shifts.

The Competition trim includes a plethora of performance-oriented goodies including an Adaptive M Suspension, M Compound Brakes and a sport differential. The wheels and tires include 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloys shod with low profile performance rubber. The exterior sports carbon fiber in the roof, rear deck spoiler, lower sill extensions, massive rear diffuser and exterior mirror caps.

Inside, our test car was fitted with Yas Marina Blue/Black leather and highly bolstered carbon fiber sport seats capable of being fitted with five-point racing harnesses. The seats provide a bit of challenge to ingress/egress, but once settled behind the steering wheel, these bucket seats have a firm hold on your backside.

2022 BMW M3 Competition
Photo: Matt DeLorenzo
Therein lies the true purpose of the M3 Competition. While it’s a serviceable daily commuter, this is a machine designed to provide the kind of thrills found primarily on track. This dual personality comes out when driving it on a variety of road surfaces. Uneven pavement is no friend to this suspension setup. Likewise in low-speed city driving, cold brakes tend to squeal when applied.

But on a smooth surface, the M3 feels hardwired to the tarmac. Part of that surefootedness comes from the all-wheel-drive system which provides three modes. The default all-wheel-drive rearward bias is further increased when the track-oriented sport mode is engaged. Turning off the stability control system provides a pure rear-drive setup with no DCS intervention.

Steering is what you’d expect from a car carrying the BMW Roundel. It’s razor sharp with excellent on-center feel and response with sufficient weighting to provide the right amount of feedback when moved off center. The driving experience is so natural and intuitive, at times it feels as if you’re controlling the car more through telepathy than physical movement.

Beyond the high levels of grip, the M3 Competition is quick thanks to its muscular and throaty straight six. Hammer the throttle and 60 mph will come up in 3.4 seconds, a half-second quicker than the standard rear-drive M3. Top speed is 155 mph, but when equipped with the M Driver’s Package that electronic limit is lifted to 180 mph.

2022 BMW M3 Competition
Photo: Matt DeLorenzo
A big aid in this seemingly out-of-body experience is the head-up display and configurable digital instrument cluster that provides all the necessary information ranging from how fast you’re going (along with speed limit sign recognition) to engine revs and gear selection.

Speaking of gear selection, the main shifter on the console has a slight learning curve. I found myself looking down and then into the instrument cluster to confirm that I had selected reverse, which has a left then up movement, and drive, which required a rightward toggle of the shifter. Also, you had to be sure you were selecting either the fully automatic D mode or the manual sequential shift mode. After a bit of practice, it became a non-issue.

Spirited doesn’t begin to describe the nature of the BMW M3 Competition’s character. With its explosive power delivery and dialed-in dynamics, there’s plenty here to bring a smile to your face on smooth, twisty back roads or better yet, the challenges of a full-on track day.

The basic Competition model starts at $76,900, about a $4,000 premium over the standard M3, which is directly attributable to the addition of the xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Adding all the exterior carbon fiber appearance items costs another $4,700.

2022 BMW M3 Competition
Photo: Matt DeLorenzo
If you’re serious about track days, the aggressively bolstered competition seats will add $3,800. And if you’ve gone that far, you might as well add the $2,500 M Driver’s Package that not only boosts the top speed, but also includes some instruction at a BMW Performance Center.

Other more extraneous bits contributing to our test car’s rather lofty $95,895 sticker was the $2,550 blue leather interior, an $1,800 Executive Package that includes remote engine start, heated steering wheel, adaptive LED headlamps, wireless charging, gesture control and a WiFi hotspot.

It’s a remarkable price, but this is a remarkable car. While BMW has recently been making inroads with electric vehicles, it’s assuring that they still have the ability to build and market ultimate driving machines like the M3 Competition.
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